© Visit Music City
4-day, 3-night itinerary
A city with endless entertainment, Nashville is home to diverse music, a world-class art scene, and award-winning cuisine all while highlighting its rich history. Sample a bit of each on a four-day, three-night getaway to the accessible, friendly and authentic Tennessee city.
Nashville is home to top-notch hotels that make your stay feel like home away from home when it’s time to rest and recharge. Some recommended properties include Grand Hyatt Nashville, JW Marriott Nashville, W Nashville, Thompson Hotel Nashville, Virgin Hotels Nashville and Kimpton Aertson Nashville.
Dedicate a day to dining in Nashville. With almost 200 new food and drink options opening in Nashville over the last two years, your taste buds will most definitely be satisfied. Try city staples like hot chicken, meat-and-threes and pulled pork barbecue. Or visit one of our chef-driven restaurants Butcher & Bee, Blue Aster, Drusie & Darr, Folk, June, Mimo Restaurant and Bar, 5th & Taylor, Virago and Black Rabbit.
Don’t leave Nashville without perusing Lower Broadway’s spirited honky-tonks, like Ole Red, Whiskey Bent Saloon and Robert’s Western World. Enjoy a range of tunes with free live music every day of the week. Outside of the honky tonks, Music City’s cocktail bars provide libations to suit every taste: Attaboy, Fable Lounge, Gertie’s Whiskey Bar and The Fox Bar & Cocktail Club.
Pro tip: There’s a festival and a sporting event for every season and reason in Nashville. Check schedules to see what coincides with your visit. Experience offerings like March’s songwriter festival Tin Pan South, June’s CMA Fest, July’s Let Freedom Sing! Music City July 4th, September’s Americana Music Fest, October’s Opry Birthday Bash, and December’s Jack Daniel’s New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash. If you’re a sports fan, attend one of Nashville’s professional sporting events. The city is home to the MLS Nashville SC, the NHL Nashville Predators, the NFL Tennessee Titans and the MiLB Nashville Sounds.
Day 1 Morning arrival before an afternoon of history
Day 2 Spend the day tasting the best of Nashville
Day 3 Go behind the music of Music City
Day 4 Spend your morning taking in one more aspect of Nashville’s history, cuisine or music before afternoon departure
After arrival in Nashville, acquaint yourself with all the city has to offer by delving into its history. West of downtown, visit Centennial Park, where an exact replica of The Parthenon stands as the centerpiece and inside is the 42-foot statue “Athena.” Home to three presidents — Andrew Jackson, James K. Polk and Andrew Johnson — there’s plenty of history to experience. Ten miles east of downtown, visit Jackson’s historic mansion, The Hermitage, along with its museum and gardens. For a true insider’s view, schedule tour through Nashville History on Tour to learn more about the city with David Steele Ewing, a ninth generation Nashvillian and historian.
Save your hunger for Day 2 as you head out on a culinary journey through the eclectic neighborhoods of Music City. Kickstart your own itinerary with some of Nashville’s many breweries, wineries and distilleries, or book a tour through Mint Julep Nashville who offers daily experiences to Jack Daniel Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee and custom tours to some of the city’s best BBQ and craft beer establishments. Other recommendations include A Little Local Flavor for walking tours through Downtown Nashville, and Walk Eat Nashville, which boasts offerings in downtown and in East Nashville.
Hit all the right notes on Day 3 by diving into Nashville’s music scene by visiting the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the National Museum of African American Music and the Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum. Take in history at Ryman Auditorium and Music Row’s Historic RCA Studio B. There’s live music to be had all over the city and unique songwriters’ sessions at The Listening Room take you behind the top hits of today. And don’t miss a performance at the legendary Grand Ole Opry.
Prior to your afternoon departure, enjoy one of the city’s many attractions such as the Frist Art Museum, grab a bite at one of the unique eateries such as the Pancake Pantry or Biscuit Love, or stop into a local music venue for that last live entertainment experience.
Did the new film Oppenheimer rouse your interest in the nefarious world of international espionage? You can go straight to the real-life setting for covert actions this November (Nov. 10–12), when La Fonda on the Plaza in Santa Fe hosts a specially themed “Spies, Lies and Nukes” weekend. The hotel actually served as the retreat location for Manhattan Project scientists, who stayed at La Fonda on the Plaza to take a break from the stress of their work. During the weekend, the property’s La Fiesta Lounge will make a tasty nod to those days by serving up a special Atomic Martini.
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Ever want handcrafted martinis and freshly shucked oysters delivered straight to your room? The Read House’s New Martinis & Pearls service has you covered. Shining in 1920s-themed decor, the historic hotel in the heart of Chattanooga offers a true Gatsby-esque experience, now further elevated with this upscale amenity. Guests can now indulge in their perfectly chilled martini, made to order, and “pearls” (oysters) in the comfort of their room.
If your idea of fun in New York City is to get the adrenaline flowing and your heart racing rather than engage in more relaxed pursuits like shopping, seeing Broadway shows and visiting museums, here are four activities that are anything but low-key:
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There are two Hollywoods: A catch-all name for the American entertainment industry and the physical place where it was born. The latter continues to draw tourists with the original Walk of Fame; historic hotels, movie and live production theaters; and a full spectrum of pop cultural phenomena.
Whether you call secondhand fashion treasure troves “thrift stores,” “fripperies,” “charity shops,” “vintage boutiques” or something else, shifting the paradigm from “old clothes” to “new finds,” you may find the best, most conversation-starting souvenirs inside these shops and neighborhoods located in the world’s most fashionable cities and a few unexpected places.
Nashville’s once-modest skyline continues to evolve as its luxury market grows. Lavish hotel properties are added to the landscape while acclaimed chefs stake claim in the robust culinary scene and premier cultural offerings round out the city’s repertoire.
While the 372-passenger Viking Polaris expedition ship, launched in September 2022, falls midway in size between Viking Cruises’ intimate river cruise ships and large-scale ocean ships, it is operated with the same attention to detail and personalized service.